I was very drawn to Elise’s poem describing a leader in her life. Sarah whom she describes feel so “real” and authentic. Someone I would trust just from our initial encounter. The attributes described I wholeheartedly agree are leadership qualities needed in the past, present and future…
• inimitable style—“innate rather than inculcated”
• passion—for life and people
• doing what needs to get done
• craft of counsel and practical philosophy
• accessibility
• Carpe diem!
From what I can deduce about Sarah she is probably quite elegant at what Ron Heifetz describes as moving from the dance floor to the balcony and back--gaining perspective from all views and engaging others in the dance. I have heard Ron describe this concept multiple times and each time I have wondered how this awareness and talent can be coached. My experience has been that most people who do this well it is part of who they are…part of their emotional intelligences. Have others found the same or found ways to coach this quality?
As I read the text from Aurelius and compare it to this poem of another great leader, I am struck by why, as a society, we seem to hold up, respect and write about the great, epic leaders more than those who impact our daily lives—like Sarah? Why is more writing done of Fortune 500 companies or nonprofits who have “gone to scale” than the small businesses or nonprofits who have chosen to stay small or serve a local purpose? Are the lessons the same but not as memorable?
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